Hello from Minnesota! Cleaning out space, letting go of stuff that no longer fits on my journey. Reflecting on my travels, as an integrating two spirited, son, & father, handling things that used to baffle me, neither living in the past nor closing the door on it, blessed by the support of my emerging family of choice. Thanks to the ancestors, those who share this journey. Peace love joy. Wichozani! Mitakuye Oyasin, “we are all related” “Wir sind all Verwanten” “nous sommes tous relies.”

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Queensland Glass Mountains and Sunshine Coast

My friend Colin from MKP AU, works at Griffith University here in the Brisbane area. We met at the MKP 25th Anniversary Celebration in Louisville last fall. He suggested I take an overnight trip to see the Glassmountains and the Sunshine Coast.
Well, after a stop to have lunch with Dan Adler, an American, now Aussie, I took a trip in the rain up the coast, and after stopping at in information station for Tourists, the rain was so persistent I decided to Keep it Simple and Easy Does it, as my rental car started aquaplaning on the mountain roads, my intuitions says slow down. So I learned that Capt Cook saw these mountains and they looked tall and conical like the houses that manufactured glass back in England during his time . Quite the inner parts of old volcanic cores I think!. Anyway, the National Park designations just pop up on the back roads, here where I got lost out of Beerburrum to Beerwah....and I didn't quaff a single Fosters, XXXX or other Australian Brew. It was just rainy and I took a variety of round abouts, and ended up at the end of pavement, ready to hit the outback, bush or whatever! Here is the random sign I found after being near the peak in the fog. See below.:-)
Here is the foggy peak taken out of the window of the car. Really grateful I found my way from here to Maleny, a mountain town where I picked up some Kenilworth Cheese and olives at a Fromagarie on the main street. This snack held me over for the mountain road trip through Monteville on my way to Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast.

Well, I walked from my motel, The Anchor in Noosaville and the local owners directed me to local eating places away from the main tourist strip. Dinner with Yom Tom soup at a Thai famlly spot within a nice walk. Then, the morning, after check out, to Glenny's for a proper workers
"Brecky" - It seems in Aussie Language, the nouns are just shortened and at a "y". Thus Kindergarten, is Kindy, and St Vincent De Pauls pick up and recycling is "Vinnie's! What a hoot. :-) Complete with sausage, eggs, bacon for my coastal solo bush walks :-)
The sun did come out on the sun shine coast - Here is one flower t hat struck me with its colors along the way.
Beyond the main tourist street in Noosa is this park where there are many Banksias. Here is one I found as a wandered about.
Here is one of the Pacific Beaches I wandered into. I lot of surfing here as surfing seems just something folks do in OZ.

On the way back to Brisbane on my 2 day trip, I climbed a view point off the freeway to see the Glasshouse Mountains. Here is a view with one of the grasstrees, Xanthorrhea in the foreground.